Feeding mechanism for conveyers.



No. 702,347. Patented June ID, I902.

J. M. DODGE &. A. D. SHAW. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GDMVEYEBS.

[Application filed Dec. 13, IQOOJ (No Model.)

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i l r l UNITED STATES P TENT ()FFICE.

JAMESM. DODGE AND ARTHUR D. SHAW, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE LINK BELT ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CONVEYERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 702,347, dated June 10, 1902.

Application filed December 13, 1900. Serial No. 39.762. (No model.)

' States, and residents of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Feeding Mechanism for Conveyors,

of which the following-is a specification.

The object of our invention is to provide an apparatus for mixing two or-more different materials during the passage from the hop:

pers or'bins to the point of discharge.

By ourinvention we are enabled to dispense with separate mixing apparatus and at the same time provide for the thorough mixing of the materials.

Our invention is especially applicable for mixing bituminous with anthracite coal for use insteam-boiler furnaces.

It has been'fonndfbyjrecent experiments that the mixing of anthracite and bituminous coal in certain proportions is a decided advantage overthe use of either as a fuel under steam-boilers; but there has been difficulty in properly mixing the two materials so as to obtain the best possible results. By our invention we can mix the materials without providing extra mixing apparatus and as the material is conveyed from the hopper or bin to the point of discharge. I O

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aview of sulficient of our improved apparatus to illustrate our invention. Fig.- 2 is a sectional view of the feeding-carriage. Fig. 3 is a View of one of the levers, showing the adjusting mechanism for the block; andFig. 4 is aview of amodification ofour invention.

A A are two hoppers or bins.

a a are rails mounted on beams above the hopper A, and a a are rails mounted on beams above the hopper A-,so that a car can be traversed on either track and its contents discharged directly into a hopper-u If it is desired to mix anthracite and bituminous coal, for instance, the hopper A may contain the anthracite'coal and the hopper A the bituminous coal.

Bis the-conveyer,-made up of buckets b, connected together by links I). b b are the wheels,which traverse the track B to the point of discharge. The buckets can be of any shape desired, according to the type of conveyer used, and the conveyer is of the endless type, the return run in the present instance returning with the buckets empty.

D may be the driving-shaft of the conveyer, having wheels D engaging the conveyorchain, as shown, and on this shaft D is a gearwheel cl, which meshes with a pinion d on a crank-shaft (1 having a crank (1 which is connected to the operating mechanism of the discharge-carriages, described hereinafter.

Each hopper A in the present instance is open in front, having an inclined bottom a which extends to the platform of the carriage E. Wheels e 6 support the carriage on the track F. The carriage E for the hopper A is similar to the carriage E. I

I Iare two levers pivoted at t' 1 respectively; to a suitable fixed frame. The lever I is connected by a rod 2' to the crank 01 on the shaft (1 and the two levers I I are connected together by a rod '5 so that both levers are moved a given distance as the crank-shaft d is revolved. The carriage E is connected to the lover I by a rod h, and the carriage E is connectedto the lever I by a rod It, so that as the levers are moved on their pivots the carriages E E will be reciprocated under their respective hoppers. In order to alter the movement of the carriages so as to feed more or less material from the hoppers tothe buckets, we pivot each arm connecting the carriage to the lever to a blockj, mounted in a slot in the lever, and this block is controlled by a vertical screwj, which is geared to a handwheel J through a train of gears j This construction is the same on the lever I as on the lever I, so that either one of the blocks J can be moved from or toward the fulcrum of its lever to increase or diminish the extent of movement of the carriage, and consequently to increase or diminish theamount of material fed to the buckets. By the arrangement of gearing above described the block can be adjusted on its lever while the apparatus is in motion, and by extending the slot past the pivot the block can be adjusted so as to have practically no movement when it is desired to stop the feed.

VVe have shown in Fig. 4 a modification in which one of the levers is dispensed with, the two carriages being connected to a single lever. The blocks on this lever may be independently adjustable or the connections may.

In the drawings we have shown the hopper A for anthracite coal, for instance, and the hopper for A for bituminous coal, and it will be noticed that the block j on the lever I is farther away from the pivot-point i than the block j on the lever I. Consequentlythe carriage E will move a greater distance than the carriage E, and consequently more material will be discharged from the hopper A than from the hopper A.

By the construction above described we can not only regulate the feed of the material, but can also regulate the discharge apparatus according to the character of the material, as it will be understood that one material will flow more readily than another. In the case of coal, for instance, anthracite coal will flow at a less angle than bituminous coal, and consequently the movement of the carriages must compensate for this difference in materials. It will be noticed also that the bottom a of the hopper A is in the present instance at a steeper angle than the bottom of the hopper A, and the angle of the bottom of each hopper maybe varied, depending upon the material to be mixed and conveyed.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The con veyer is traversed continuouslyin the present instance under the two carriages E E. These carriages are reciprocated under the hoppers A and A. If, for instance, bituminous and anthracite coal are to be mixed, the hoppers are filled from cars in the. present instance or from conveyors, and the blocksj are so set on the arms I I as to give each carriage the desired movement, so as to either feed the material from each hopper in even quantities or feed from one hopper more material than from the other, according to the mixture desired. As the conveyer passes under the carriage E bituminous coal will be discharged into one of the buckets. Then as the bucket is moved forward, so as to be under the carriage E, the said carriage willdischarge into it a certain amount of anthracite coal, so that the bucket will contain a percentage of anthracite and a percentage of bituminous coal. The bucket is then carried to the point of discharge, dumped into a pile, or conveyed directly to bins or stokers; but as one bucket is discharged upon another the coal will be thoroughly mixed and ready for immediate use. It will be understood that the movement of each carriage is timed with the movement of the conveyer, so that the carriages, as they are intermittently discharged, will discharge only when the bucket is in position to receive the charge. YVhere a flight conveyer is used or a bucket conveyer in which the joint between the buckets is protected, this care need not be exercised.

It will be understood that where more than two materials are to be mixed additional hoppers and discharge-carriages may be used.

Ve claim as our invention 1. The combination of a conveyer, two hoppers mounted above the conveyer, a positively-driven discharge device for each hopper mounted clear of the conveyer, and means for operating the discharge devices in unison so as to feed a certain proportion of material from each hopper into the conveyer and thereby mixing the same, substantially as described. 2. The combination of an endless bucket conveyer, two hoppers mounted above the conveyer and a positively-driven reciprocating discharge device for each hopper, and means for reciprocating the discharge devices in unison, whereby each bucket is supplied with material from both hoppers and said material is thereby mixed, substantially as described.

3'. The combination of a conveyer, two hoppers mou nted above the conveyer, a discharge carriage for each hopper so arranged as to discharge the material from the hopper into the conveyer, means for operating the said carriages, and means for adjusting the operating mechanism so that the proportion of material discharged into the conveyer from each hopper can be varied to make the proper mix turc, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a conveyer, two hoppers, two independent discharge-carriages, one carriage controlling the flow of material from one hopper and the other carriage controlling the flow of material from the other hopper, a lever, means for vibrating said lever, and means whereby the two carriages may be independently connected to the lever, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a conveyer, two hoppers mounted above the conveyer, a reciprocating carriage mounted between each hopper and the conveyer, two levers, means for vibrating said levers, an adjustable block on each lever, a rod connecting the block on one lever with one carriage and the block on the other lever with the other carriage, and means for adjusting said blocks to regulate the extent of movement of each carriage, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a conveyer, a hopper, a reciprocating carriage mounted between the hopper and the conveyer, a pivoted lever, means for vibrating said lever, a block, a screw for adjusting said block, means for turning said screw, and a rod connecting the block with the carriage, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a conveyer, a hopper, a reciprocating discharge-carriage for the hopper, a pivoted lever, means for mov- In testimony whereof We have signed our 10 ing the said lever, an adjustable block on said names to this specification in the presence of lever, a rod connecting the block with the cartwo subscribing Witnesses.

ria e a screw for adjustim the block, a shaft 5 at 51$ pivot-point of the fever geared to the screw, and means for turning the shaft to.

move the blockto or from thepivot-point of Witnesses:

the lever to alter the movement of the car- WILL. A. BARR, riage,substantia11y as described. JOs. I-I. KLEIN. 

